But play the Mustangs did, losing 37-14 to the Rams at Gustafson Stadium in a game free of bad behavior and controversy. That’s significant because it was Jay’s first game since two of its players brought notoriety to the school by viciously blindsiding an official in a 15-9 loss Sept. 4 at Marble Falls.

“It was important to go back to something positive after a week of negatives,” Northside Superintendent Brian Woods said.

A crowd of 3,139 viewed a game marred by rain and a 30-minute lightning delay. Despite the weather, the Mustangs drew more fans than usual.

“We are going to support Jay no matter what,” said Patricia Sauceda, a 1985 graduate of the school, “because John Jay didn’t hit the official, two students from John Jay did.”

Said Gerald Rios Sr., whose son is in the school’s marching band, “John Jay is made up of hundreds of students. Don’t judge it by the actions of a few.”

A video that captured what appears to be a premeditated attack on umpire Robert Watts has been viewed by millions, making the school the focus of a media frenzy that sparked a national debate about what consequences the Mustangs and the players who tackled and speared Watts should face.

Northside initially suspended senior Mike Moreno and sophomore Victor Rojas for hitting Watts, who works for the Austin Chamber of Commerce.

But on Friday, Northside announced that Moreno and Rojas will attend Northside Alternative High School while the district continues its investigation into the incident, district spokesman Pascual Gonzalez said.

“The district felt it was better they were in an educational setting while awaiting their disciplinary hearing,” he said.

Isaac Reyes, who played football with Breed at Jay in the early 2000s, attended his first Mustangs game in 12 years to support his alma mater.

“It was heartbreaking to see what those kids did, but you can’t control everyone,” he said. “It just sucks it was my school.”

Some fans suggested that the players wouldn’t have targeted Watts had he not allegedly uttered racial slurs, an accusation made by district officials.

“I was at the game, and he said and did a lot of things that shouldn’t have happened,” said Paul Lomeli, 32, whose two sons play football for Jay. “Everyone has seen the video, but let it play for 30 more seconds and you’ll see him get up and charge our kids. He was perfectly fine, but pissed off.”

Other fans blamed the coaches.

“A timeout should have been called to get the kids under control,” said Hugh Hawkins, 62, whose grandson is a Jay football player. “It was sad. No matter what the ref said, it should have been handled differently by the coaching staff. If the ref did something, report it.”

Although Friday’s game had a life-goes-on feel to it, there were aspects out of the ordinary.

Security was beefed up, mainly for crowd control, although there was a theft of several items, including $60 and five phones, out of the Del Rio locker room on Jay’s campus Thursday during a JV game.

Gonzalez said the district received a threat via email before the game but that district officials did not view it as credible.

An increased media presence also stood out. Gonzalez said about 20 media outlets inquired about covering the game, including heavyweights such as the New York Times and CNN.

Upon entering the stadium, reporters were informed of several restrictions limiting access, including banning them from interviewing students and coaches. Also, photographers and camera crews were banned from their usual sideline spots.

After the game, only district administrators were available for interviews. Trustee Joseph Medina, whose district includes Jay, declined to talk to the media.

Reed, the board president, defended the district’s handling of the affair.

“Northside is more upset about this than anybody,” she said. “I was appalled. We all were.

“Northside is all about the kids. We want the best students, and we want them to become the best adults. This isn’t beneficial for that. And I don’t think (the video) should be shown over and over. I don’t think that does anybody any good. Hopefully, it’ll be over soon and we can move on.”